Border Patrol Apprehends Two Gang Members Illegally Entering U.S. in One Day

Border Patrol agents in California apprehended two gang members making illegal entries into the United States over the Memorial Day weekend, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Both illegal immigrants, while taken into custody in separate incidents, were members of the “Sureño 13″ criminal street gang and repeat illegal border crossers.

The Border Patrol encountered the first of the pair Saturday morning in a desert area west of Calexico, California.

According to CBP, Bernardo Amaya-Parra, a 29-year-old Mexican national with a number of gang tattoos, admitted to agents that he is an active member of the “Sureño 13″ gang. Amaya-Parra had previously been removed from the United States for immigration violations in 2011.

The second encounter occurred Saturday evening, also west of Calexico, when Border Patrol discovered another Mexican national entering the country illegally.

Upon being transported to the Calexico Border Patrol station, according to CBP, it was revealed the illegal immigrant in question, 34-year-old Jose Santana-Miranda was also an active “Sureño 13″ member who had previously been removed from the United States in 2008.

According to CBP, both illegal immigrant gang members will be “criminally prosecuted” for re-entry. The Border Patrol has arrested 17 gang members so far this year.